Steyn Test selection no certainty

South Africa pace ace Dale Steyn is back fit and firing but with the Proteas’ fertile fast-bowling crops blossoming he knows he’s not a walk-up start in the Test team.

Steyn was named in South Africa’s 15-man squad for the two-Test series in Sri Lanka next month alongside fellow quicks Lungi Ngidi, Vernon Philander and Kagiso Rabada and a trio of spinners; Keshav Maharaj, Tabraiz Shamsi and uncapped leg-spinner Shaun von Berg.

The 34-year-old has played three matches for Hampshire on England’s domestic circuit having finally recovered from a heel injury he suffered in January against India that sidelined him for the recent four-Test series against Australia. 

But Steyn’s return to fitness doesn’t guarantee automatic selection given the impressive form of South Africa’s pacemen in the hostile and dramatic campaign against the Australians.

Rabada was named player of the series for his 23 wickets, Philander probed and proved at times impossible to score against and Ngidi, despite playing just one Test, showed he belonged at Test level in collecting five wickets.

Couple those performances with the traditional spin-friendly conditions in Sri Lanka, and Steyn knows he’s got a battle on his hands to win selection for first Test in Galle from July 12. 

“Rabada is so special, Ngidi is coming through nicely, I just hope there’s a spot there for me when we get to Sri Lanka,” Steyn told Sky Sports in Southampton. 

“In those conditions you’re always looking at possibly playing two spinners. 

“It’s a good headache for the coach to have. 

“But when you get the opportunity to represent your country, you go and make the most of it.”

In Steyn’s corner are two key factors.

First, the right-armer has a terrific record in Sri Lanka. In four Tests he has 21 wickets at 24.71 with two five-wicket hauls and a strike rate of 39 balls per wicket. 

At Galle in 2014, Steyn was named player of the match for his haul of 9-99 (5-54 and 4-45) in South Africa’s 153-run first Test win. 

Secondly, a lower-back stress reaction to Rabada suffered in the final Test against Australia in Johannesburg ruled the 23-year-old out of the Indian Premier League and he has not played since. 

Proteas selection convener Linda Zondi said Rabada has made a full recovery from the back issue, but with just one warm-up fixture leading into the first Test, Steyn’s match fitness and experience could give him the edge to make his Test comeback.

Steyn needs just two wickets to join Shaun Pollock on 421 wickets as South Africa’s most prolific Test bowler.